Was it ever explained if a player needs to be at the top of their echeladder to be viable for god tiering when they die on their quest bed?

I believe Vriska mentioned it to John, explaining God Tiers as a means of going beyond the limits of the Echeladder once you reach the top. Given the God Tiers have new actual Tiers and rungs, too, I’d say it’s fair to think you need to level up to the max before God Tiering.